Oil & Fuel Store diesel in plastic?

   / Store diesel in plastic? #11  
Could be that the people in control just got tired of metal containers that were leaking, dented, rusty, etc.
I was taught just to keep my fuel containers out of the more valuable buildings.....and don't keep them all together..
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #13  
Could be that the people in control just got tired of metal containers that were leaking, dented, rusty, etc.
I was taught just to keep my fuel containers out of the more valuable buildings.....and don't keep them all together..

Every metal gas can I ever had rusted out. My plastic ones have lasted 20 years +.
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #15  
Every metal gas can I ever had rusted out. My plastic ones have lasted 20 years +.

Au contraire...my 5 gallon 1970's model jerry cans (have 4) are only slightly rusted on the inside, scratched but not dented and still working great. So are the 2 1/2gallon galvanized ones. However, I do keep the gasoline fairly fresh in them and use a funnel with a stainless screen when adding to vehicles. The 2 1/2 gal cans are even older, and work better than the new plastic models on small engines and gas/oil mixes. So there!:p :D
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #16  
...I was taught just to keep my fuel containers out of the more valuable buildings.....and don't keep them all together..

I have been given the same advice, but I have been re-thinking that lately. Someone (I suspect a neighbor teen) has recently tried to break into my pump house. While I don't store fuel there, nor anything else of value, if a bad guy breaks into a shed where I do have fuel, the temptation to play arsonist with the main house could be too high.

I think I will keep the fuel in the main garage, where I have cars with full tanks anyway, which is more secure from a break-in than a shed. Once they have a gas can, they don't have to actually break into the house to torch it.
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #17  
I'm ok with plastic, as long as it's in decent condition with a lid that fits.

No matter what, a fire amid your fuel cans is pretty bad juju.

I wouldn't count on anybody's storage drum being vented, and if it's not, stand back and enjoy the BLEVE
Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Must be BOC whisky, right? :)

I completely agree, and I've used 55 gallon blue HDPE for a while for storing diesel. I have a small covered area out back I store some 5gal gasoline cans and a drum of diesel. I had heard that the blue drums get soft with diesel, but I have not seen any problems in several years of doing this with the same drum.

I won't store anything larger than the 5 gallon cans in my barn for safety sake. 5 gallons of fuel is plenty to make an uncontrollable fire, but you can typically get away. 55 gallons of fuel which spreads and ignites will make a widespread inferno I don't want to be near!
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #18  
Dave, your responce had me thinking.
1. you need a bigger dog
2. car tanks are vented, tested and tested. I see very few issues with car tanks leaking gas or fumes.
3 By pump house I would assume covered, air tight, insulated, possibly with arc's from contactor points. Not Ideal storage places.
4 Main garage as in attached to house? A solid No NO in my book.
5. storing flamables in the pump house, wich is the source water to put out a fire ? probably not a great idea.
6 open pole barn style building, keeping tanks, cans,bottles, whatever. shaded and out of the rain is the best reccomendation I have.
7 with prices as high as they are who can keep that much on hand anyhow:)
8 with prices this high they would probably steal the gas not burn your house down with it
of course you are free to call me a complete idiot, all my friends do :thumbsup:
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #19  
Good post fireman. I keep about 30 gallons of gasoline and 20 gallons diesel in an open faced shed but in the shade, off the ground and out of the rain. It's about 100 feet from the house. Nothing is stored in my (attached to the house) garage, except the 50 gallons of gasoline in the car/truck. The gas is in red metal cans....diesel in yellow plastic. 20 gallon of K1 kerosene is stored in the basement (metal cans) for the torpedo heater used in the garage. Eeek.
 
   / Store diesel in plastic? #20  
I agree with the fireman. I work in the oil patch and we are high on safety. Much of what you said I am on the same page. I worry with fire, rust, water from condensating. The #6 bullet point covers it all. I would use a drum vent for pressure differential control or a drum pump with vent. If your in a dusty area, and who isn't with the drought going on, be sure to cover/filter the venting mechanism.
 
 
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